


This ABO verse before the romance began

by Skaas



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha Pepper Potts, Alpha Stephen Strange, Beta Tony Stark, F/M, M/M, Omega Tony Stark, Strange and Stark are good bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 14:49:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19466248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skaas/pseuds/Skaas
Summary: For Strange, respect isn’t freely given, its earned.Or Strange, the stereotypical Alpha, falling through the wonderland of rules-what-rules known as the Avengers and the Sanctorum.To be honest, Strange is actually a really good Alpha, except the first rule to being an Alpha is to never show weakness. That’s a really bad rule.





	This ABO verse before the romance began

**Author's Note:**

> Because seriously, around 85 percent of the population is Beta.
> 
> Also I would like to bring to attention that while the main character is usually shown in a good light. Not all Alpha’s are that respectful or nice. Strange is getting here, slowly.

The first time he allowed himself to step across the five feet radius (the safe distance which Alphas kept from each other to show respect) and into his teacher’s personal space is when he foolishly thought he can take her on and pointed a finger to her chest. He didn’t actually notice anything that day because he was trying to pick up the broken bits and pieces of his brain from the floor.

The second time he didn’t either, because the mirror dimension works in a really weird way and he was sort of both up her face and half a mile away at the same time. The Ancient One’s voices crossing over and telling him to follow the flow as Strange tumbled across the window in a heap, burning with the Alpha desire to _excel_.

The third time he’s carrying her limp body onto the hospital bed, chanting under his breath for her to _please don’t die please don’t be another person that’s going to walk out from my life_. It can be said that her scent is the last thing on his mind, plus, he couldn’t smell anything through all the blood anyway.

It’s the fourth time, nearly a year into her recovery, when she tapped his elbow with her fan as a reminder that the medicine is about to boil when he noticed something.

She doesn’t have a scent. Like literally, not metaphorically. It’s not that she smells like water or fresh air or anything, she just, doesn’t have a scent.

“Mister Strange, contain yourself. I did not take you to be a person who gave in to your second gender desires.” It’s her voice that brings him back to the land of the living after he furiously tries to sniff the heck out of her for a good minute, because dammit there is no logic to this. Strange has spent more than eight years in school learning about the human biology, and an Alpha’s gotta smell. “I have freely given you the position of Sorcerer Supreme, there is no need for a fight over leadership.”

Wong smells like fallen leaves in autumn, the kind that cracks when you step on them, a detached part of Strange’s mind tells him. Mordo smells like ancient wood, old and sturdy but fresh. And according to Christine (fresh mint leaves with dew drops on top) Strange smelled like grape wine, deep and rich.

“Huh, oh fuck sorry! I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.” Strange grunts as he wiped his head back, bracing himself to be thrown across the room. Technically saying as the new pack leader, he reigns over even the former Alpha lord, but Strange can still show some respect to his teacher. If the Ancient One wishes to punish him for this insolent act, he won’t stop her. “And I uh, also wasn’t looking for a fight even if it seemed kind of like I did.”

And then just to not seem like a jerk he added a quick. “I wouldn’t fight you even if I wanted to. Not when you’re still recovering.”

“Hummm.” She says. “Make dinner tonight Chinese and we’ll call it even, no?”

“...I’ll see what I can whip up.” He does a really fake half smile at her. As an elite Alpha, cooking never was something their gender really needed to consider learning. But Strange has a problem with not being perfect at everything and Christine is an amazing teacher, so he makes do. Even if the food is make exactly to the recipe rules down to the last gram of salt and apparently tastes as if it has no soul.

He is extremely thankful he learned because otherwise he’s going to starve at this place where the idea of gender, first or second doesn’t even seem to exist. If your teacher asked you to make dinner, then you make dinner, if someone asked you to hand wash your own robes, you washed your robes, fuck Alpha pride.

The Ancient One gives him a knowing look and moves on to get the kettle herself, leaving Strange trying to decide whether the problem lies with her or his nose.

\--------------------------------

“—Okay the problem is with her.” Strange growled as the horrible scent of beer and wine all smashed together assaulted his nose. “What the hell happened here?

The Avengers minus Cap and Stark are lying in various positions in the living room, snoring away. Tony Stark is sitting at the counter and Cap is nowhere to be seen. From the side of his vision, he can see Clint flip around and kick Natasha off the couch (wait, did a Beta just fucking kick an Alpha?) Ever the light sleeper, the Widow is on all fours before she even touches the floor. But instead of giving Clint a black eye like any sensible Alpha would, she makes a faint displeased growl before picking herself up from the floor and slithering into the bathroom without giving Strange even a hello. A moment later the sound of the shower turns on.

“Hey look who decided to show up.” Tony Stark asked as he somberly added some random cocktail to a beer before gulping the weird mixture down. “What’s the problem?”

“None of your business. By the way, you know that mixing drinks together like that makes you drunk twice as fast right?” Strange signed. He had come over after the phone Stark gave him signaled red, not green, which translates to come if you have time to help beat shit up. But red, meaning there’s an emergency bad enough that they actually needed a sorcerer. “Okay what’s the emergency? Please don’t tell me someone has alcohol poisoning.” 

“Hello Tony, how are you today Tony? Sorry for barging in without calling Tony.” The man smirked sarcastically at him but raised his wine cup to signal he means no harm. “No emergency actually, what brings you here?”

Strange glared. “One of you Avengers gave me a Code Red.”

Stark frowned, showing that the man is at least not completely drunk. “....There was a Code Red? Friday, when did that happen?”

“Ten minutes ago, I believe Agent Barton rolled on his phone during his sleep boss.” Friday answered even as Strange snapped a pissed off. “Jesus Christ! Tony, people could be dying!” 

There is an awkward silence mainly done by Strange before Tony Stark threw his head back and roared in laughter, filling the room with the overly sweet odor of peppermint candy canes in his joy. “You came over because Clint rolled over during his sleep! Oh my god I’m never forgetting this!”

“Well, since there’s nothing important here. If you will excuse me, I still have work to do back home.” Strange growled, fighting down embarrassment, because for a moment he had actually been worried dammit. He would understand if it’s the Captain or Stark who called in Code Red, or even Bruce. But never in a hundred years did he expect Clint or Natasha to Code Red him. Hell, looking at this setting he was almost sure Steve has Code Reded him.

“Aw come on man, you’re here anyway. Sit down and have a drink!” Stark snorted. “I promise I won’t make any more stupid jokes.”

Huh, did Ironman just admit his joke is stupid? The man must be really depressed today.

Nevertheless, Strange is a duty first person. “Some people have a job to do other than drown in drinks, Stark. I’ve got a fucking unicorn to catch. 

“Are you shitting me?” Says Stark, now very much awake.

“No. I actually have a unicorn to catch. It escaped from the Book of Mystic Beings after one of the idiotic new apprentice decided to show off.” Strange answered in complete seriousness.

“Alpha?” Stark asked sympathetically.

Strange nods. “Seriously, where does Mordo find all those Alpha’s anyway, I thought we’re around ten percent of the population.”

“...I actually still can’t tell if you’re shitting me.” Stark deadpanned. “But you know what, sit down a moment and have a drink with me. Afterward I’ll help make sure no one yells to the world that unicorns exist and you guys have one. 

That...actually sounds like a pretty fair deal. Saves Strange from having to rewind time using the Time Stone to erase memories and then getting yelled at by Mordo for breaking laws. He sits down beside Stark on the table, fuck manners.

“So, spill.”

“What makes you think I need to spill? You spill.” Stark grunted again 

“Because I’m not the one getting drunk at 6am? Stark, the sun isn’t even up yet.” Strange signed, the scent of candy canes is too strong too sweet, powered up by whatever Stark had drank into his system. Strange might not be that much into sweets, but he is a doctor and this much scent can’t be healthy. “Where’s Steve Rogers?”

“Trying to convince the Winter Soldier he isn’t evil so they can finally just fuck.”

“What?” Strange choked.

“Yeah.” Stark answered smoothly. 

“Are you drunk out of your mind?” Strange signed. “Or are you just going into heat? Cause if you are I’m going to inject you with fifty different repressors. All prototypes.”

“No you won’t. Also Doc, If you know me, this is like a daily occurrence for me...” Something seems to flash in Stark’s mind as the man suddenly sat up. “Wait a minute, what gender do you think I am?”

“...Male Omega?” Strange frowned. Where is this going. 

“Oh yeah, you don’t know yet.... That explains why you never joined when I called you over for hot springs.” Stark leaned back and raised an eyebrow, then to Strange’s bafflement he barked a laugh. “But no, good guess thou, you where half, ugh no, 75 percent right. 

“75? That means you’re not...you’re an Alpha?” Strange jerked, taken back. As intimidating Ironman is, Tony Stark just didn’t give him an Alpha feel that Thor or Steve Rogers did the first time they met. There wasn’t even the cold static that ran down his neck when he’d seen Loki, a being who even now Strange can’t decide what his second gender is. Or his first, depending on the Mischief Gods mood. Thor had said its best not to think about it and just accept how things work.

Thor has also had over a thousand years to get use to his brother switching sex at random and really doesn’t get to talk. 

“You’re not getting any closer.” Stark says, then seems to take mercy on Strange. “I’m a Beta actually.”

“No way.” Strange deadpanned. “You smell like someone dragged you through Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory and then sprayed perfume all over you. Beta’s aren’t supposed to smell.”

“Well, they usually don’t, but I’m a bit of a special case.” Stark says, seemingly a little uncomfortable with the direction their chat is going. “Also that’s the best way someone has described me; Friday write it down somewhere.”

“How are you special...” something clicked in Strange’s mind. “The arc reactor?”

“Clever man.” Stark grunted. “Not exactly, but for a first guess it wasn’t that far off actually. Used to be an omega, maybe that’s why my father never loved me. Both my mom and dad were beta’s, my dad actually had an Alpha ancestor somewhere up the line, but they had an Omega son.”

Used to?

“Right.” Strange said, now also uncomfortable with the direction. “I’m sure that’s not how he felt. But I can sort of see where he’s going, the chances of two Beta having an Omega child is astronomical. Less than one percent.” But to be fair only around 5 percent of the population is Omega.

“Thank you, that was very kind of you.” Stark said.

“I do try.”

There is a moment of silence in which Strange kind of blames himself, since Tony had probably just told him something probably only the Avengers and family know. 

“So um.” He finally said. “Just so you know, being in the minority isn’t actually a bad thing. Not a lot of people can say ‘hey look at me, I’m an Omega born from Beta parents who’s more successful than you guys will ever be your entire life.’ Actually, you’re probably the only person who can say that...I’ll shut up now.”

That sucked.

“.... Huh.” Tony Stark answered however, sounding almost touched. “Careful Strange, I might think you’re actually getting nice.”

“Anyway yeah, after all the Ironman stuff, my dad actually helped me create an new element that quote, upgraded me, unquote from an Omega to Beta, will you believe that.” The man said sarcastically, unaware that he had once again destroyed Strange’s tentative trust in modern science. And he’s talking like this is just afternoon tea, not ground breaking new info. 

“Wait a minute.” Strange growled. “You created an element that can fucking turn Omega into Beta?”

“Yup!” Stark grinned. “I mean my dad gets like twelve percent of the credit, maybe, by most.”

“And you didn’t, I don’t know, tell the board or anything?” Strange leaned in closer. 

“Why should I?” Stark looked so genuinely confused that Strange actually wants to punch him in the face.

“Because this can change the world! Up to now we’ve only had surgery available to change the first gender, but now we might be able to change both! All those intelligent people who’s not getting their deserved credit just because they’re an Omega might get a choice for once!” He’s thinking of Christine, strong clever Christine who still has to listen to Nick despite clearly being way smarter.

“I see your point, but no.” Stark answered, actually having the nerve to grab another bottle of the shelf. Strange waves a hand and sends the revolting thing to Dormammu. “Hey, what the hell man!”

“I can give you twenty bottles of the exact same thing in a moment.” Says Strange. “Answer the question.”

“You must be great at parties.” Stark sniffed. “Because, doc, that would mean they took the easy way out. Yes, becoming Beta would automatically get you more recognition and right, but it’s their duty to stick their nose into some random beta or alpha’s face and tell them. I’m not successful because who I am, but despite who I am.”

“So you rob them of even a chance.” Strange says coldly.

“They won’t ever know.” Tony answered. “No one cares whether I’m an Omega or Beta. Pepper is an Alpha but she never said anything when I pushed her into the wall for a kiss. She didn’t go all protective when I got in an Ironman suit to save her ass. Hell, first time we almost kissed she actually complained to me about how this makes it look like she’s trying to get into my pants.”

The man breaks off a moment, looking like he’s remembering a fond memory. “Strange, just a few moments ago you said I’m one of a kind for achieving what I did while being an Omega. But here’s the thing, I don’t want to be the only one in this. 

.... Okay, that makes sense actually, In a really weird way.

“Still sounds kind of like magic if you ask me.” Strange finally signed as a peace offering, god he needs a drink as well, he’s not equipped to deal with this.

“.... That’s a lot coming from you.” Stark smirked shakily. “Now, are we still hunting the unicorn?”

“Yes.” Strange grunted. “Might as well get on with it.”

“Awesome!” The man sang. “Wait! Let me call a suit, I’m coming too! A fucking unicorn, I’m not missing this!”

“Make it quick.”

Tony gives him the third finger with both hands but dutifully gets up. “Strange?”

“What?” He signed again.

“This is a secret okay? Between us Avengers and Pepper and Happy?” The man asked, sounding a little unsure.

“.... That’s a lot of people if you ask me.” Strange raised an eye brow. “But yeah sure. Which secret am I trying to keep?” 

“The one where I’m a beta now. I’m still listed to most of the world as Omega.” Tony said. “I don’t want to take this away from some people. The fact that it’s okay for an Omega to be treated as an equal for all, even if it’s just a little, I want to be a symbol for this.” 

Strange stares at him long and hard.

“Fine.” He says. “But seriously Stark, I can’t care less.” 

“That’s my man.” Ironman grinned.

Strange is pretty sure all the Avengers minus Thor are already awake and listening in to their conversation, hell he has a hunch that Vision and Wanda are listening through the walls. But he’s too done with it to care.

\------------------------------------ 

After three hours of throwing fireballs and dodging light beams while Ironman laughed at him for going into battle without armor, Strange finally returned with over fifty do-not-touch spells cast over the damn book.

Fuck unicorns and their only-the-pure-can-touch-me rule. He had sex with Christine for what, three times? Also why didn’t anyone tell him unicorns can shot lasers out of their horns?

“Well done.” Wong says as he hands over the book. Which, in Wong language means ‘holy shit that was fast.’

“Yeah, I’m the Sorcerer Supreme. What did you expect?” Strange grunts.

“You didn’t have any help?”

“Ughhh.” Alpha pride temps him to say no, Strange thinks for maybe three seconds before giving into temptation. “Uh huh.”

“Right.” Wong deadpanned. But before he says anything else, the sound of Mordo barking orders can be heard down the hall.

“...I’ll go take a look.” Strange signed after doing a silent staring contest with Wong, which he lost.

He finds the man in the training ground, beating the heck out of the new students despite class ending like three hours ago.

“Supreme, save us!” Someone yelled at him. Oh, now they remember who’s the actual boss here.

“Silence.” Mordo growled, grabbing said student by the ankle and slamming him flat into the ground. Strange is pretty sure that broke something. 

“Mordo, what are you doing?” He asked, vaguely freaked out.

The large man makes a pissed off sound as the student rolling across the floor in pain. “I know what the problem is.”

“Pray tell.”

Mordo turns around and faces him, then in a perfect villain voice says “Too many Alphas.”

“.... Right.” Strange mumbled. “You continue doing your thing. Please remember those idiots still have class tomorrow.”

He leaves the new recruits to Mordo’s torture.

“Is there something bothering you?” Wong asked when he returned.

“That bad?” Strange grunts. Because Wong is someone who doesn’t talk unless one must.

Wong seems to consider something.

“There’s been a rumor that you’ve been scent marking your teacher during her naps, the popular guess to your reason for doing so is to goad her into a fight.” He finally says. “There is a betting pool on who’s going to win. All the old sorcerers are betting her and all the new kids are betting on you.”

“What the hell?” Strange jerked. “That’s stupid!”

“I know right.” Wong answered. “You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Actually about that, Strange is pretty sure by now, after a few years spend in a time loop training against Dormammu, he probably does. He came out with fucking white hair, it was that long (or maybe it wasn’t due to the time, just the stress. Strange is _not_ going down that direction right now.) Yes, he doesn’t have a few hundred years of experience like her, but he’ll bet that he’s more of a genius than she is.

“Bah.” Strange grunts. 

“So? What’s the problem?” Wong asked in his perfect poker face.

....How to explain this without sounding weird. “I wasn’t scent marking her. I was just continuously sniffing her because I wish to figure the secret to her scent, or the lack of it.”

Wong raises an eyebrow.

“Due to the fact that she found it disrespectful, I had to sniff when she isn’t looking. Hence when she’s asleep.” Strange slammed his face into the wall. “…That’s actually even more disrespectful isn’t it?” 

Wong raised his other eyebrow. “I am glad we reached an agreement.”

The man pulled a jar out from midair and drops three bucks into it. _What the fuck?_

“You joined the bet?” He snorted out.

“I mean so what if you can’t tell what she smells like, is she not the most Alpha that has ever Alphaed?” Wong continued to ask him without acknowledging his question. “Stop sniffing, you’re starting to cross the line from being creepy to outright doglike.”

No she’s not. Because Strange is the number one Alpha to ever Alpha and that’s that.

“Alphaed? Is that even a word?” He signed. “But look, it’s really weird for an Alpha to not smell like anything you know? It’s kind of required for them, how else is she going to guard her territory?”

“By actually guarding it, physically.” Wong deadpanned. Ouch.

“Guy gets knocked down once before he actually learned how to fight, Wong haven’t we gotten past this?” Strange growled in mock anger at the Chinese man, who waved a hand back at him. He takes it since that’s probably as close to an apology as he’ll get from a proud man like Wong.

“If you are this confused, why do you not just ask her?” Wong asked. “I have a job Strange, and no time to stand around chitchatting.”

Because that would mean he actually has to explain the science behind this shit to sound like he’s not being some really weird stalker. Since there’s only two scenarios where Alpha’s doesn’t smell like anything. One, they’re born with a mutation or two, they’re sick enough that they actually can’t give off a scent. Which would mean he has to verbally tell her he actually cares about her, and that’s not how thing work with him okay?

“You’re the one who asked what’s wrong with me!” He finally complained as Wong shut the library door in his face. “Oh come on!”

\------------------------------------

“You are in a mood today.” The Ancient One says as Strange carefully measured the herbs for her late night medication. 

He’s adds too much due to his fingers shaking and has to start anew.

“Why is everyone asking me this today?” Strange signed. “Plus, you’re like the one person who doesn’t get to say anything about this.”

She placed her tea cup down and carefully removes the tea bag. “Does this have something to do with your abnormal interest in me lately?”

“No, why do you think that?” He mumbled, and then straightened his back because mumbling is a sign of weakness. “Oh please, give me a break. I’m just pissed at the new apprentices I have to train, care to give me some tips on how to be a good teacher?” Actually, no, she’s like the worse teacher ever. 

“Mister Strange.” She says, always someone who can easily see through him. “Is that really the reason?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” He grunts.

“…I believe I’ve told you this multiple times.” The Ancient One hums. “Silence your ego, and tell me what bothers you so.” 

And for some reason that’s what finally causes him to snap. Her, sitting there, the reason to half of his problems, calmly _talking down at him_ despite the fact that he’s now the lead Alpha, not her!

“Because I’m worried okay!” Strange finally snarled, all the pent up frustration from the past few month overflowing his self-control. Screw her and screw Tony and screw everyone for messing up his life. It was easy before all this! His hand reaches forward to grab the teapot so hard the metal actually bends in, forced out of shape by the strength of an angered Alpha. “Fine, you want to know why I’ve been sniffing you like some low level newly turned Alpha who can’t get enough of their own strength? I couldn’t tell what you smell like, which means there’s something wrong with you!”

“…And somehow that came out to others as you looking for a fight.” She mused, not even batting an eyelid. “You truly are one of a kind. Do you realize you can just ask me?”

“Oh save it!” Strange huffed. “You survived falling off the top of a tower and getting stabbed! How do I know if you’re not slowly dying from some kind of internal bleeding the idiot doctors didn’t discover quick enough! It’s not like I can just check you myself, I’m not a doctor anymore!”

There, he said it! Strange turns away from her, pissed at himself from this outburst. Rules since middle school and beyond flowing through his mind. An Alpha must always remain strong, an Alpha must never lose control, an Alpha must not—

“Strange,” The Ancient One says slowly, almost puzzled. “I don’t smell like anything because I’m not an Alpha, my second gender is Beta.” 

“Yeah right! Like that changes...Wait you’re a what now?” Strange choked.

“Beta.” She repeats calmly.

“What?”

“Beta. I’m not repeating myself a fourth time, third time is the charm.” 

....Why does this kind of shit always happens to him? Is Steve Rogers secretly an Omega? Is Thor secretly a Beta? Does Strange need to go and have his nose checked out? Is this even his noses fault? 

“Strange.” The Ancient One hums, as if what she’s saying is obvious. “85 percent of the human population is Beta.”

…Oh holy lord from above, they’re a pack of the deadliest Alphas lead by a Beta. Also, holy lord from above, Strange got his ass kicked by a fucking Beta. He cannot even with his life. 

“Is there a problem Mister Strange?” She says smoothly.

“Ummm, asdfjt. You know what, I don’t even care anymore.” Strange grunts out a string of random noises. “You know perfectly well what the problem is.”

There is an amused twinkle in her eyes. 

“Yes.” She says. “I believe I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Avengers:  
> Steve Rogers - Alpha  
> Thor - Alpha  
> Tony Stark - Omega turned Beta  
> Clint - Beta  
> Natasha - Alpha  
> Bruce - Beta


End file.
